Water-purifying apparatus.



PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

G. L. KBNNIGOTT. WATER PURIPYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

0. L. KENNIGOTT. WATER PURIPYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6. 1905.

4 SHEETSSHEET Z.

No- 830,790. PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

- 0. L. KENNIOOTT.

WATER PURIFYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6. 1905.

c; @Z XD 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

4 SHEETS-S EET 4.

O. L. KENNICOTT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6. 1905.

U 9 wzzzflm/m Lg FBJJW/ WATER P'URIFYING APPARATUS.

' UNITED STATES {LATENT onrron.

CASS L. KENNICOTT. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOR TO KENNIOOTT WATER SOFTENER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA- TION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

Application filed November 6, 1905. Serial No. 285,993.

To In whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OAss L. KENNIOOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Water-Purifying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in water-softening apparatus of the class exemplified in Letters Patent of the United States No. 646,108, dated March 27, 1900; and it relates particularly to the construction and arrangement of parts of the apparatus involving the feed regulation of the chemicals employed in solution for treating the water to be purified.

The general object of my improvement is to adapt the apparatus to be erated and set from the ground-level, therefiy to render it unnecessary for the operator to climb to the top of the apparatus for any pur ose, exce t, perhaps, for changin the ter, whic is only required to be one once in every six months.

More specific objects are to provide novel and peculiarly efficacious means for automatically proportioning the chemical solution, as that of the lime employed, to the water under treatment and similarly desirable means for proportioning a chemical solutionsuch as carbonate of soda (N A 00 to the water under treatment without requiring dependence to be had on the pump for measuring the solution pumped by it.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a water-softening aipparatus e nipped with my improvements; ig. 2, a bro en view of the same, partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, the section being taken at line 2 on Fig. 1 and regarded in the direction of the arrow and hidden arts being shown by dotted lines; Fig.

.3, a roken view in the nature of a diagram representing the mechanism for proportionately supplying the soda solution to the mixing-pan at the upper end of the apparatus; Fig. 4, a broken view, in sectional elevation, of the lower art of the ap aratus, showing my improved ime-injector device; Fig. 5, an enlarged broken section taken at the line 5 on -Fig. 1 viewed in the direction of the arrow and showing one form of embodiment of my improved means for proportioning the flow of raw water to be treated to the preci itat ing-tank and to the lime solution, and ig. 6 a similar view of another form of embodiment of the same.

A is the tank, supported on a suitable foundation, as B, and divided by a cone-shaped partition a into a lower section, forming the lime-saturator A, and an upper sect1on,forming the precipitating-tank A of which the partition a forms a conical bottom and in which is supported the downtake-conduit C, i

that shown flaring downwardly in accordance 6 5 with my aforesaid patent, though my present invention is not intended to be limited to that peculiarity of the conduit nor its particular location. About the upper portion of the conduit 0 is shown to be provided in the apex of the cone 0. A pipe a, forming a vertical hollow shaft, is ournaled at its lower end, as at m, Fig. 2, to extend upwardly centrally throu h the tube b, beyond which it carries a bow F, this shaft carrying at its upper end beyond the tube a collar 0, which has dependin from it outside the tube arms 0 carrying horizontally-extending stirrerblades 0 and rotating against a stationary bearing 0 upon the'tube b, these blades 0 alternating with stationary blades 0", extending to overlap them from the inner surface of the conduit. Near its lower end in the tanksection A the shaft 0 carries stirrer-blades c to rotate with it, its rotation being produced through the medium of a bevel-gear d on the go shaft meshing with a bevel-pinion d on a rotary horizontal shaft in the lime-saturator and driven as hereinafter described.-

G is the hard-water box, surmounting the tank A above a supplemental box G, shown 5 supported on the tank and extending laterally beyond a side of the box G, the supplemental boxbeing divided by a vertical partition e into two compartments 6 and- 6 The supply-pipe H for the flow of hard or raw water to be-treated includes a watermotor (indicated at I in Fig. 1) to be driven by the pressure of water passing through the pipe for actuating parts hereinafter described, as also the shaft (P, which has a sprocket-and-chain gear connection 0' with nal water-outlet slot, f and contains according to the construction represented in Fig. a reciprocable head or piston f, adapted to be set to cover more or less of the slot f at either side of the partition e for proportioning the relative quantities of raw water that enter into the compartments e and 6. Another of various possible forms of this device for the same purpose, more fully hereinafter explained, is illustrated in Fig. 6, in which the piston is omitted and supplanted by a movable head f of triangular shape in crosssection, having its apex at the slot f to direct the discharge of water through, the latter to opposite sides of the partition e.

The gist of my invention relative to the proportioning device thus described lies in a partition extending edgewise across the course of the flow of water to be treated and a head movable across the partition, between it and the stream, to vary the quantity of water discharged at opposite sides of the partition. I do not, therefore, limit this 'feature of my improvement to either construction thereof herein shown and described.

For supplying lime to the saturator or chemical-solution holder A, lime is slaked in a suitable tank L adjacent to the saturator containing a horizontal diaphragm g, Fi 4, which divides the tank into an upper sla (ing compartment or tank g and a lower compartment or tank g communicating through an opening in the diaphragm equipped with a valve device 9 A valved branch H of the pipe H enters the compartment 9 to discharge therein, as shown, and a valved pipe H connects the compartment 9 with the saturator-tank A and has a leg-section 9 depending in the compartment 9 With the apparatus in use preparatory to introducing slaked lime into the saturator the latter is evacuated of the lime sediment or lime sludge contained in it through a valved conduit M, which may lead to a sewer. This lowers the level of the water in the tube 1).

The lime slaked in the compartment 9 is in- I troduced'into the compartment 9 by opening the valve 9 and upon closure thereof raw water is introduced through the branch H into the last-named compartment and "forces or injects the slaked lime or solution The lime-water for mixture with the raw water to be treated is made in the saturator by supplying to the latter a suitable proportion of such raw water, and the proportioning is accomplished through the agency of the device represented in Figs. 5 and 6. Thus when it has been ascertained by preliminary test that certain water to be softened requires mixture withit of acertain proportion of lime the head f (or f is adjusted relative'to the slot f to direct a suitable proportion of the raw Water fed to the apparatus into the saturator for making lime-water of the required quantity. That proportion of the raw Water discharges through a pipe h, leading from the bottom of the compartment 6, into the bowl F, whence it runs down the hollow shaft 0 into the saturator A through openings '1) in the lower part of the shaft, and the lime-wa-- ter in the latter rises through the tube 1) and overflows from its upper end into the mixingpan E, into which the other proportion of the raw water flows from the compartment e through a pipe h to mixwith the lime-water and overflow into the conduit C and undergo the operation described in my aforesaid patent. When the adjustable head is once set in the slotted tube K for'thus proportioning any particular water, it remains in that condition as long as the character of the water remains the same, being set through the medium of a rack-stem f engaged by a pinion f on the upper end of a vertical rotatable shaft f provided at its lower end with a handle f for turning it, .thehandle being located above a dial-plate f Figs. 1 and 2, for prop- .erly guiding the operator in setting the proportioning-head relative to the slot f for waters requiring different proportional separa- 'tions for making the lime-water. If the water to be treated is not subject to change, it is nevertheless desirable to examine the setting mechanism periodicallysay onceevery two Weeksto see that the setting remains proper. To prepare the other chemical solution, as soda-ash, to be used in treating the raw water, duplicate tanks or solution-holders N N are employed for alternate use, containing the usual soda-baskets N N, into which, respectively, a valved branch 'i of the water-pipe H and a similarly-valved exten- I sion 7'. of that branch discharge. From each soda-tank a pipe 7c discharges the soda solut1on into the tank 0 of the lift-pipe device 0, which is the same as that set forth in Letters Patent of the United States N 0. 665,606, granted to me January 8, 1901, the hinged pipe I, which is connected by a chain 1',

passing over guide-pulleys l 1 with a float m in the elevated raw-water tank G, for the purpose of maintaining a constant ratio of flow between the raw water in the tank and the solution in the tank 0. The pipe 1 discharges through the stationary pipe l into a sump or box 0 which has a pipe connection Z with a sodapump]? of any ordinary or suit able variety and which discharges through a pipe 1:. into the mixing-receptacle E. Any

other suitable device for proportioning the v soda solution than that of the aforesaid liftpipe variety may be employed without departure from my invention.

With regard to the soda treatment it will be observed that the solution is proportioned entirely by the feed through the lift-pipe 1 into the sump 0 so that the proper proportion for the raw water is introduced into the latter by the action of the pump P,upon which, therefore, no dependence is required to be had for the measuring. This affords an-advantage of great importance, since it is ascertained by practical experience to be the fact that a chemical solution employed for treating raw water in Water-purifying apparatus cannot for any considerable continuation of time be measured with required accuracy by means of the pump used to force it to its destination, because the action of the pump does not remain uniform. For actuating the pump P it has a sprocket-and-chain connection 0 with the motor I.-

The pipe shown at Q in Figs. 1 and 2, with branches p in the bottom of the precipitatingtank A serves for discharging from the latter in the ordinary manner the sludge upon opening a valve (not shown) in the pipe. By reason of the elevated position of the base of the precipitating-tank, due to providing the chemical-supplying mechanism on the round-level, the sludge may be readily orced by the hydrostatic pressure in the tank into a vat or car on the same level without requiring the employment of the gooseneck mechanism ordinarily used for the pur' pose, thereby avoiding the necessity of providing such mechanism.

Lime and soda are the chemicals specified herein as being used for treating the Water to be purified and requiring to be supplied thereto in predetermined accurately-measured proportions; but other chemicals may be similarly used in the same apparatus for treating different kinds of water, so that the terms lime and soda are not intended to restrict the invention 111 any sense.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a water-purifyin apparatus, the combination of a tank divided into a lower hme-saturator and an upper precipitatingtank containing a downtake-conduit, a mixing-receptacle at the upper. end of said conduit, a hollow vertical shaft extending through said saturator and conduit, a tube surrounding said'shaft in said conduit and opening at its lower end into said saturator and at its upper end into the mixing-receptacle, elevated dividing means for the water to be treated discharging therein, said means discharging into said receptacle and through said shaft into the lime-saturator, and a slaked-limeinjector apparatus adjacent to and discharging into said saturator.

2. In a water-purifying apparatus, the combination of a tank divided into a lower lime-saturator and an upper precipitatingtank containing a downtake-conduit, a mixing-receptacle at the upper end of said conduit, a hollow vertical shaftextending through said saturator and conduit, a tube surrounding said shaft in said conduit and opening at its lower end into said saturator and at its upper end into the mixing-receptacle, elevated dividing means for the Water to be treated discharging therein, said means discharging into said receptacle and through said shaft into the lime-saturator, and means adjacent to said saturator for supplying thereto slaked lime, comprising a lower tank and an upper slaking-tank having valved communication with said lower tank, a water-supply pipe discharging into said lower tank and a valved pipe connecting said saturator with and having a leg depending in said lower tank.

3. In a water-purifying apparatus, the combination with a precipitating-tank and a solution-holder communicating therewith, of means for proportioning the sup 1y of flowingwater to be treated to sai tank and holder, comprising a partition extending across the course of said water, and a head movable across the partition in position to divide the flow to opposite sides thereof.

4. In a water -'purifying apparatus, the combination with a precipitating-tank and a solution-holder communicating therewith, of means supported above said tank for proportioning the supply of flowing water to be treated to said tank and holder, comprising a partition extending across the course of said water and a head movable across the partition in position to divide the flow to op osite sides thereof, and means connected wit said head for operating and setting it from the base of said tank.

5. In a water-purifying apparatus, the combination with a precipitating-tank, a mixing-receptacle, and a c emical-solution holder communicating with said receptacle, of means for dividing the water to be'treated, for the purpose set forth, comprising a slotted cbnduit into which said water flows, a partition crossing said slot between its ends to divide it into two sections leading, respectively, to said holder and said receptacle, and a head movable along the slot across said partition.

6. In a water-purifying apparatus, the combination with a reci itatin -tank, a mixing-receptacle an a c emica -solution holder communicating with said receptacle, of means for dividing the water to be treated, for the purpose set forth, comprising a box into which'said water flows, a conduit communicating at its ends said box and pro- 1 o vided between said ends with a slot, 2. box

below said conduit containing a partition crossing said slot between its ends and discharging from one side of the partition into said solution-holder and at the opposite side thereof into said receptacle, and a head mov able along the slot across said partition.

7. In a water-purifying apparatus, the combination with a precipitating-tank, a mixing-receptacle and a chemical solution holder communicating with said receptacle, of means for dividing the waterto be treated, for the purpose set forth, comprisinga slotted conduit into both ends of which the water to be treated flows and provided between said ends with a slot, a partition crossing said slot to divide it into two sections leading, respectively, to said holder and said receptacle, and a piston in the conduit movable along the slot therein across said partition.

8. In a water-purifying apparatus, the combination of a lime-saturator, a precipitating-tank surmounting said saturator and containing a downtake-conduit, a mixing-receptacle at the upper end of said conduit, a hollow vertical shaft extending through said saturator and conduit and discharging at its lower end into said saturator and at its upper end into the mixing-receptacle, a.lower box supported at the upper endof said tank and containing a vertical partition from opposite sides of which it discharges, respectively, into the mixing-receptacle and said shaft, an upper box into which the water to be treated flows, a conduit communicating-at its ends with said upper-box and containing a slot crossing said partition, a head movable along the slot across said partition and provided With a stem,' a vertical rotary shaft geared to said stem for moving the head and provided with a handle for turning it, and a dial adjacent to said handle, for the purpose set forth.

9. In a water-purifying apparatus, the

combination with a precipitating-tank, a

mixing-receptacle and an elevated receptacle into'which the water to be'treated flows, of a chemical-solution holder, a tank containing a swinging pipe and a stationary pipe connectedtherewith, a float in said receptacle connected with said swinging ipe, a sump into which said stationary pipe ischarges, a

pump communicating at. its suction side with ceptacle, for the purpose set forth.

- CASS L. KENNICOTT. In presence of- L. HEIsLAR, J. H. LAUDES.

said sump, and a pipe leading from the dis charge side of the pump into said mixing-re- 

